


So Obvious

by heyarnoldfangirl15



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Getting Together, Humor, One Shot, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 14:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30057225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyarnoldfangirl15/pseuds/heyarnoldfangirl15
Summary: Arnold has developed a crush on Helga, though he doesn’t know how to tell her. But it becomes a lot easier when Helga accidentally reveals she was the one pretending to be his pen pal, Cecile.
Relationships: Helga Pataki/Arnold Shortman
Kudos: 3





	So Obvious

**Author's Note:**

> TJM didn’t happen in this storyline. Everything else did though.

Two blonde teenagers, Arnold and Helga, were sitting next to each other, in the very top passenger car of a ferris wheel. Their hands were laced together as Arnold's emerald eyes met the gaze of Helga's ocean eyes.

"Helga, I love..." Arnold started to confess, but was abruptly put to a halt by an echo in the distance.

"Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold!"

Arnold's eyes shot open, and then realized he was laying in his bed with his alarm clock snapping him out of his unconscious fantasy.

"What the heck? I had that dream again, damn it!" Arnold expressed to himself.

The teenage blonde boy shut his alarm clock off, made his way out of bed, and headed downstairs for breakfast. As his feet met the descending stairsteps, thoughts about his reoccurring dream last night flooded his mind. Everytime he had that dream, enjoyment was felt by his dream self. When he woke up from it, a mix of confusion and disappointment was felt by his real self. Confusion because he didn't understand why he kept having that dream, and disappointment because he secretly didn't want it to be just a fantasy in his mind.

Around the time eigth grade started, Helga had slowly stopped being a bully, but still keeping her sarcastic antics. And by the time freshman year started, Helga and Arnold had become friends.

It was now the second semester of their sophomore year, and Arnold had developed a crush on Helga. And he felt like it was beyond that, and he felt in his heart that the feelings were real.

But how was he going to tell her?

After eating breakfast, Arnold went on his merry way to his high school.

Once the blonde boy arrived, he went to his locker to get his geometry textbook.

"Hey, Arnold!" Helga greeted, using Arnold's real name rather than the shape of his head.

Arnold was was halfway through his locker combination, and Helga's voice made him jump a bit.

"Did I startle you, football head? Oops." Helga remarked in a sarcastic, yet genuine tone.

Arnold stopped working on his locker combination and decided to look to his left, his sight meeting the pink bowed girl whom he had dreamed about the previous night.

Arnold's face turned a light hue of red once his eyes met the girl who he had a crush on since the beginning of the year, possibly even way longer. Helga noticed Arnold's face changing color but decided not to say anything, despite the fact that she always commented on everything to tease the football head. Arnold's blushing was quite subtle, so she couldn't tell if if he was really blushing or not. But the thought of it was still lingering in her mind nevertheless.

"Hi, Helga." Arnold greeted, flashing an awkward yet subtle smile. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm tired, I hate waking up early." Helga responded.

But I'm also happy because I'm talking to you. Damn, I just need to confess my feelings already... I mean it's almost Valentine's Day a-freakin-gain! Helga thought.

"Hey, you two. Here are your invitations to my party on Friday." A voice behind them informed, cutting off the pink bowed girl's thoughts.

The voice belonged to no other than the fashionista of the school, Rhonda Wellington Lloyd. She had her jet black hair in her normal styled bangs that covered her eyebrows. The only difference was the her hair fell a few inches above her waist rather than her shoulders.

"Hey, Rhonda." Arnold greeted.

"Here you go. Party at my house on Friday." Rhonda said as she handed Arnold an invitation, gently but smugly whipping her dark tendrils behind her shoulder.

"Thanks." Arnold said.

Rhonda loved to party, especially when she was hosting it. Despite the fact that she was a technology addicted high schooler, she still liked giving out invitations the old fashioned way.

"Here you go, Helga. You're lucky that I'm inviting you this time." Rhonda said half jokingly as she handed the blonde girl one of the small, customized papers.

"Thanks, princess." Helga shot back half sarcastically with emphasis over the latter word.

"You're welcome." Rhonda responded as she strutted away with the rest of her invitations.

"Are you going?" Arnold asked Helga, using the opportunity to have a conversation before the bell rang.

"I'm not sure yet. How about you?" Helga responded. Helga had the tendency to show up at Rhonda's parties when they was younger, but she wasn't as crazy about them as other people were.

"I'm not sure either, honestly." Arnold said, rotating the dial on his combination lock that allowed him to get into his locker.

Once his locker was opened, he set his little invitation which he'd received from Rhonda onto the top shelf, and then grabed his geometry textbook from the bottom one.

Arnold then closed his locker once he got what he needed, and turned to face Helga once more.

"I'll go to the party if you do." Arnold blurted.

The blonde boy almost dropped his textbook at the realization of what he just told the girl standing across from him.

That... was too forward! Arnold awkwardly thought, feeling his cheeks heating up.

Meanwhile, Helga was internally swooning at those words, letting out a lovesick sigh solely inside her mind. A few seconds later, she shrugged it off and decided to play it cool.

"Wow, do you really like spending time with me that much?" Helga remarked jokingly.

"You know what, I just might." Arnold shot back. He was playing along with Helga's sarcastic tendencies but he really meant what he said.

Not long after he said that, the bell rang, signaling there was only five minutes until first period would start.

"I should go, I don't wanna be late." Arnold said.

"See ya later, football head." Helga responded with a chill tone.

Once Arnold arrived to his geometry class, he set his textbook down on his desk, which happened to be next to his best friend Gerald's desk.

Gerald had an opened box of chocolates on his desk, and he was in the middle of chewing on one.

"Where did you get the box of chocolates?" Arnold asked once he had sat down next to his friend.

"Phoebe gave it to me." Gerald answered once he was done eating his piece of chocolate, and then smiled at the thought of his girlfriend.

"But Valentine's day isn't until next week?" Arnold nitpickingly questioned.

"Who says she can't give me something early?" Gerald asked. "Also, do you have a Valentine?"

"No, I don't."

"Well is there anyone you want as your Valentine?"

"Well... yeah, there is."

"Who is it? Spill it."

"Helga..."

The right corner of Gerald's lips curled upward into a smirk at the name of the pink bowed girl.

"Hey! What's that face for?" Arnold asked in confusion.

"I kinda knew it." Gerald smugly admitted, crossing his arms.

"How?" Arnold asked, slightly cocking his head to the side.

"You're not very good at hiding crushes."

"Hey!"

"It's true."

"So, how do you feel about this? I know you don't really like Helga..."

"That was a while ago. She may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but I know you guys have become friends. And that's cool if you want to be more. Plus, that means we could go on double dates. Her best friend is my girlfriend after all."

"Are double dates the only reason you approve of her?"

"No, of course not."

"I was joking. And thanks, Gerald."

"Anytime."

The promethean board in the front of the classroom said to go to page 102 of the textbook, so Arnold proceeded to open his.

"One more thing..." He said once he got to the page the board said to go to.

"What?" Gerald asked.

"Can I have a piece of chocolate?" Asked Arnold.

"Get your own chocolate from your own Valentine." Gerald said.

"Rude, bro." Arnold scoffed lightheartedly.

Gerald handed the chocolate box to Arnold, a chuckle escaping his mouth.

"Just kidding." Gerald said.

"Thanks." Arnold said, taking a piece of chocolate.

While Arnold sat in class, his mind wandered off to a topic other than the math lesson. He was contemplating whether or not he was going to go to Rhonda's party. Like Helga, he attended Rhonda's parties in the past but wasn't too crazy for partying. But if Helga went, he would be there too.

Two days later...

Arnold had made his decision regarding whether or not he was going to attend Rhonda's party. He decided that he was going to go. After school, he proceeded to get ready for the shindig. It was more of a casual party, so he didn't go out of his way to dress up too much. He put on his red flannel with thin yellow vertical and horizontal lines that was reminiscent of his long shirt from the fourth grade which everyone thought was a kilt, along with blue jeans and a white T-shirt.

Arnold did not plan on confessing his feelings towards Helga just yet. He just wanted to enjoy her presence at the party for now.

Arnold decided to drive himself to the party, since he had recently gotten his driver's license. He was still getting the hang of driving alone since he had only had his license for a few months, but he was quite catious and careful about it, and was a good driver overall.

Once he arrived at Rhonda's not-so humble abode, there were already several cars parked in Rhonda's large driveway. Some people drove themselves, and some were dropped off by other people, and it seemed like the former applied to a lot of people.

Once Arnold arrived inside the spacious house with white but colorfully decorated walls, there were tables with snacks and drinks set up, music blasting, and quite a few people had arrived already, as the full driveway proved. Helga was standing by one of the tables, and she had her hair down, wearing a pink bow and a rather casual outfit as well.

Once Helga caught Arnold's eye, he waved at her and flashed a small smile. Helga saw the gesture and did the same.

The two blondes just chilled at the party, having a good time and enjoying each other's company. Not anything too eventful or crazy happened... until about half an hour in.

"Okay, who wants to play never have I ever?" Rhonda announced after a bunch of people showed up about half an hour after the party had started.

"Um... isn't this a kid's game?" One of the classmates, Sid asked.

"Not the way I play! We're putting a twist on it. For whatever you have done, you have to take a shot." Rhonda explained.

Rhonda's parents were not home at the time, and somehow she had obtained alcohol, and no one really knew how. Some of the teens were interested in the drinking game, and some were really not into it in the slightest. Arnold was the latter. Helga was more in the middle, but she decided to try the game.

"You don't mind if I play, right?" Helga asked, knowing she didn't really need approval but made sure anyway.

"Go ahead, just don't get too drunk." Arnold teased.

A group of about ten people sat in a circle with some alcohol shots. Rhonda was the person asking the questions to said group.

"Okay, never have I ever... pretended to be someone I wasn't." Rhonda said.

Helga proceeded to take a shot since she had indeed disguised herself as someone else. Her face puckered at the strongness of the substance she just downed. She wasn't used to drinking alcohol at all.

Meanwhile, Arnold paid attention to Helga during the game. He noticed that Helga had drank to the question.

I wonder what she's referring to...? Arnold thought with a subtle head tilt.

Arnold thought Helga could've been referring to her acting badder than she actually was, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she drank for something more literal.

The game went on for another ten minutes or so, and Helga didn't take a large amount of shots, but she still became a bit tipsy.

The party went on for another half an hour after the game of never have I ever, and an unexpected visitor had shown up.

The door to Rhonda's house swung open, revealing a relatively short girl with her long reddish brown hair in bangs, who was wearing a sweatshirt that matched her dark blue skirt.

"Hi there!" Rhonda chirped.

"Hello. Sorry I'm late." The girl politely said.

Wait a minute... I think I have seen this girl before. I know I've seen her before. Arnold thought.

Arnold looked at the girl who had just arrived to the party a little longer to figure out where exactly he had seen her. And it hit him almost immediately.

That's my pen pal from France, Cecile! What is she doing here? Arnold thought.

Helga turned her glance towards the front door and noticed the French girl standing by it. She also immediately recognized her.

"Oh my god, it's Cecile! What is she doing here?" Helga pointed out in a tone that was a bit more bubbily than her usual one. She was a bit tipsy, so she wasn't really thinking about her words twice before saying them.

"She's a foreign exchange student at our school, and I invited her to this party." Rhonda answered, wondering how Helga knew Cecile, but chose not to verbally question her.

Wait a minute... something doesn't add up... how does Helga know that's Cecile? Arnold thought.

Arnold took a look at Helga once more and it finally hit him after all these years.

He looked at Helga's long blonde hair with subtle waves and a pink bow atop her head, and thought of the chaotic but lovely night that was Valentine's Day in the fourth grade.

That looks exactly like the fake Cecile's hair... and wasn't she wearing a pink bow too? Yes, she was, I know it. Arnold thought.

Arnold tried his best to recall the features fake Cecile had back then. After pondering it more, Arnold came to the conclusion that he failed to come to for years.

Blonde hair? Check.

Pink bow? Check.

Monobrow? Check.

Same voice? Check.

Were they the same height? Indeed they were.

Lip overbite? Check to that one too.

Oh my god oh my god oh my god. Crap. I was too dense back then. It was Helga all along. And that's why she drank to Rhonda's question about pretending to be someone you aren't, and why she already knew Cecile's name. Because she saw the real Cecile back then because she was pretending to be her!

It was... so obvious. The fact that it was Helga was so obvious. Arnold monologued inside his head.

Arnold was wondering if he subconsciously knew Helga was the one behind the disguise but never wanted to admit it, or if he really never knew until now. He also thought about how he always wondered if he'd ever see fake Cecile again, but he saw her everyday without realizing.

Another thought that met his already overflowing mind was how he was going to tell Helga about his discovery. He was already worrying about confessing feelings to the girl, and another item was added to his plate. Technically he wasn't required to tell Helga what he found out, but he came to the conclusion that it was the right thing to do. He thought maybe he could find a way to reveal both confessions at fhe same time, if it wouldn't be too overwhelming for Helga.

Arnold decided to procrastinate on thinking about how he was going to break the news, and just enjoy the moment at the party for the time being. He promised himself he'd come back to it, just not right that second.

The party went on for another two hours or so, and everyone was tired out. It was on the verge of ending, so Arnold decided to go check on Helga.

"Hey, Helga. Do you have a ride home?" Arnold asked, being aware of the fact that she had a bit to drink.

"Mhmm. Olga is picking me up. Thanks for asking." Helga informed.

"That's good." Arnold chirped, happy that Helga would be safe.

A few minutes later, Olga had showed up to pick up her little sister with the pink bow. The Pataki sisters had gotten closer over the years, and Helga had threw away a good chunk of her resentment.

Since Arnold knew that Helga's ride had showed up safely, he decided to go on his merry way to the boarding house. On his way home, he decided to come back to the thought about revealing how he knew Helga's secret, while still obviously paying attention to the road.

Once the football headed boy arrived to his home, he rushed upstairs to his bedroom. Suddenly, another memory from Valentine's Day in fourth grade popped into his mind. Helga had taken off her red heels in frustration, and she had taken one, and Arnold had taken the other, and had never actually given it back.

I bet I still have it somewhere...! Arnold thought.

Arnold knew from memory that he had kept the red shoe in his room. He put it there and never moved it. As a matter of fact, he completely forgot about its existence until that particular night. Since he had narrowed down where it could be, he didn't have trouble starting scavenging for it.

After a few minutes of searching every nook and cranny of his bedroom, he found the item he was looking for.

Well, obviously it isn't gonna fit her now... but this could be a smooth way to reveal I know she's Cecile...? Arnold thought.

He decided to go with that very plan. Valentine's Day was on the following Monday, so it was an appropriate time for the reveal.

Arnold stayed up for a few more hours before his eyelids started to get heavy, and they could barely stay open for him. He flopped onto his bed, covered himself in his thick warm blanket, and the last thought before drifting off to sleep was Helga.

The next morning...

Since it was Saturday, Arnold did not need to rely on his alarm clock that shouted his name to wake up, since he didn't have anywhere he needed to go. Arnold sat up and stretched his arms up, looking at his clock on his sky blue wall. It indicated that he had naturally woke himself up at eleven o'clock in the morning. The teenage boy tended to sleep in on the weekends. After he checked the clock, he moved his glance over to his table which he had left Helga's red high heel from the fourth grade.

All the events from the previous night came flooding back into Arnold's mind. Helga had revealed that she was indeed the girl pretending to be his pen pal, Cecile.

How did I not figure that out sooner... it only took me six freaking years! And the answer was right in front of me... I always wondered if I would see the fake Cecile again, but I saw her everyday. He thought.

Arnold also remembered that he had his reoccurring dream about him and Helga on the ferris wheel again. It ended the same way as usual despite his alarm clock not needing to wake him up this time.

I don't care what this reoccurring dream says... I'll confess. He thought in determination.

Arnold had thought about how he would ask Helga out on Valentine's Day. No Valentines signed anonymous or anything like that. Just straight to her face.

Two days later...

Arnold walked into Hilwood High with his heart beating harder and harder with every step he took into the school. It was Valentine's Day, and even though it was on the day of the planned occasion rather than in advance, he planned to ask Helga out.

He went over to Helga's locker where she getting her textbook for her first class, English.

"Hey, Helga." Arnold greeted, trying to hide his nerves.

"Hi, Arnold." Helga greeted back.

"Um, happy Valentine's day." Arnold said, trying to make small talk before asking his question, but still keeping it related to what that question would be.

"Thanks." Helga responded with slight uncertaincy, not one hundred percent sure why the boy in front of her was wishing her a happy Valentine's Day, but also having hope that it was leading up to something.

"So... would you like to go out with me?" Arnold asked with nervousness in his tone, though he was trying not to make is noticeable. He felt his complexion heat up as it turned a bright red.

"I would love to." Helga answered, trying to maintain a calm attitude to cover up that fact that she was fangirling inside of her mind.

Arnold's lips curled upward into a warm, obvious smile at the fact that Helga said yes. It was only a matter of time before they would be going out, and Arnold would be confessing the two most important things he had ever confessed to anyone.

One hour after school ended, Arnold was ready to pick up his date. He took his car to her house to pick her up. Once he got to her house, she was standing outside on her stoop. She was wearing an outfit that was similar to her outfit on the beloved February 14 of fourth grade. It was a more updated version of the look, but it added more evidence to the list of things that proved Helga was Cecile.

She was still wearing a long sleeved pink, striped shirt, but the stripes were white rather than red. And she was wearing a similar hot pink skirt, but it was shorter this time. Her blonde hair was down, and of course, a pink bow rested atop her head.

She looks stunning. Arnold thought while admiring his date's beauty, a smile plastered on his face.

"So, you gonna get in the car or are you just gonna stand there drooling?" Helga remarked.

"Sorry, let's go." Arnold answered with a chuckle.

The two both proceeded to get in the car, Arnold being the driver and Helga being the passenger. The carnival was having A Valentine's Day event, so because Arnold wanted to be Helga's valentine, he drove her there. As he drove, they had a casual conversation, and Arnold felt his nerves about the big reveal start to ease as they talked.

After about fifteen minutes, Arnold arrived at their destination. They were both as excited as they could be to be spending time with each other on the most romantic day of the year.

"So... what do you wanna do first?" Arnold asked, not wanting to be completely in charge and let his date choose stuff too.

"Hmmm, let's see... how about the ferris wheel?" Helga suggested.

Arnold's face lit up at the mention of the ride. His reoccurring dream about Helga always involved a ferris wheel. The fact that he had the chance to be on a ferris wheel with her in real life was something he was quite excited about, since whenever he woke up from his dream, he was disappointed about it not being real.

"Sure, sounds good." Arnold replied.

Once the two got onto the ferris wheel after waiting in line, they sat next to each other on the passenger car of the large, rotating wheel. After it started moving, Arnold began speaking.

"I actually have something to tell you." Arnold said bluntly but nervously.

"Do you? What is it?" Helga asked.

"Well I guess I should start by giving you something..." Arnold said as he reached into his bag that he had brought.

He pulled out the red high heel from all those years ago that belonged to the blonde next to him.

"I know this doesn't fit you anymore, but I thought I'd give it back anyway..." Arnold said.

Helga eyed the shoe in her date's hand for a minute before recognizing where it was from.

"You found out." Helga said with a mix of feeling flustered that Arnold had figured out her identity, and internally laughing because it took so long.

"I did... Cecile." Arnold admitted.

"How did you find out?" Helga asked.

"Well, first of all, when Rhonda asked if you had pretended to be someone you weren't during never have I ever, you took a shot. And then the real Cecile showed up at the party, and you recognized her. I thought back to that night and I couldn't think of any other way you might've known her. So I then compared your features to fake Cecile, and it all came together." Arnold explained.

"I'm sorry for pretending to be her, I understand if you're creeped out, I know it was quite crazy to go out of my way to do something like that, and-"

Arnold interrupted Helga's rambling by leaning in and planting a kiss on her lips. Helga gave in and returned the kiss passionately without question. As the two blondes kissed on the ferris wheel, their nerves faded away and all they could feel was pure bliss as their hearts beat as one.

A few blissful seconds passed, and Arnold broke the kiss so he could inform Helga about something verbally.

"I don't think anything bad about you pretending to be Cecile. I'm glad you were the mystery girl out of everyone who could've been it." Arnold explained genuinely.

Helga let out an adoring, lovesick sigh at Arnold's words. Arnold then took Helga hand gently and their fingers together into a handhold. His emerald eyes gazed into Helga's sapphire colored ones, just like in his dream which was finally becoming a reality.

"I... I love you." Arnold confessed softly.

"I love you too. So much." Helga confessed back.

"Will you... become my official Valentine? And girlfriend?"

"Yes and yes."

"This is the best Valentine's Day I have ever had."

The end.


End file.
